Vanderbilt University Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos has been appointed to the Knight Commission, a national organization dedicated to promoting a reform agenda that emphasizes the educational mission of college sports.
“I am deeply honored to join the Knight Commission, whose mission and work aligns so closely with our commitment at Vanderbilt to ensuring the academic success and personal development of our student-athletes,” Zeppos said. “I greatly admire the commission’s effective advocacy for reform and positive change in college athletics, and look forward to contributing to and learning from that work.”
Zeppos formally joined the organization at its Oct. 24 public meeting in Washington, D.C.
“My colleagues and I are very pleased that Nick Zeppos has accepted our invitation to join the Knight Commission,” Knight Commission Chairman Brit Kirwan said. “His vast experience as an accomplished leader of a distinguished university and his strong commitment to athletic programs operating with high academic standards and integrity make him a most welcome addition to the commission.”
The Knight Commission was formed by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in October 1989 in response to highly visible scandals in college sports. The commission promotes reforms that support and strengthen the educational mission of college sports. Over the years, the NCAA has adopted a number of the commission’s recommendations, including the rule that requires teams to be on track to graduate at least 50 percent of their players to be eligible for postseason competition.
Joining Zeppos as new members of the commission are:
- Christopher Howard, president of Robert Morris University, who was a Rhodes Scholar and a past winner of the Campbell Trophy, the highest academic award in the country presented to a senior college football player;
- Angela Hucles, president of the Women’s Sports Foundation and a former member of the U.S. women’s national soccer team;
- Derek Kerr, executive vice president and chief financial officer of American Airlines;
- Jonathan Mariner, former chief investment officer of Major League Baseball; and
- David Robinson, a former All-American basketball star with the U.S. Naval Academy and San Antonio Spurs and co-founder and principal at Admiral Capital Group.
The Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. It believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged.